Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A two-dimensional game board which represents a four-space hypercube has a flat base upon which eighty-one recesses are formed with the recesses being laid out in a square pattern having rows of nine recesses perpendicular to each other. This two-dimensional game board with its pattern of 81 recesses is the basic unit with which the two-dimensional game board for the five-space hyper hypercube is represented and with which further n-space configurations may be represented by adding predetermined additional multiples of the basic unit. The three-dimensional game board which represents the four-space hypercube has a rectangular base with 27 recesses thereon laid out in a line of reoccurring square patterns with each square having three lines of three recesses each. Support posts extending up from the base support two vertically spaced platforms with each platform having 27 recesses vertically aligned with the 27 recesses on the base.

Unlted States Patent [151 3,695,614 Brisson [4 1 Oct. 3, 1972 [54] BOARD GAME APPARATUS 72 Inventor: David w. Brisson, 142 Rochambeau [57] ABSTRACT Providence, 02906 A two-dimensional game board which represents a [22] Filed: June 5 1970 four-space hypercube has a flat base upon which eighty-one recesses are formed with the recesses being PP N04 43,360 laid out in a square pattern having rows of nine recesses perpendicular to each other. This two-dimen- 52 us. c1 ..273/130 AC simal game with its Patter 81 recesses is the [51] Int. Cl. ..A63f 3/00 basic unit with which the two'dimensional game board 58 Field of Search 273/130 131 136 for five'space hype hypercube is represented and with which further n-space configurations may be 56 R f d represented by adding predetermined additional multi- 1 e erences le ples of the basic unit. The three-dimensional game UNITED STATES PATENTS board which represents the four-space hypercube has a rectangular base with 27 recesses thereon laid out in g g a line of reoccurring square patterns with each square rnse having three lines of three recesses each. Support FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS posts extending up from the base support two vertically spaced platforms with each platform having 27 1,160,120 7/1969 Great Brltaln ..273/l30 B Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe AttorneyBarlow and Barlow recesses vertically aligned with the 27 recesses on the base.

1 Claim, 14 Drawing Figures I L o o o o o 0/] Q o 0 o o o o o o 0 o 33 o o o /c o I o o a J 35 L c at: o I o I o l o d c 3 2 /c: Q o 0 0 0 0 32 J 0 o o 0 0 i b o I c c2 o o o o o o 35 c o I o/ o o o J o o 0 V o 0 V o 0 j BOARD GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to games and is particularly directed to a novel four space game whose basic concept provides the foundation for five space and n space games.

There are games presently marketed which are called multi-dimensional. Some of these are of the tietac-toe variety having a three-dimensional game board. These give the players a spatial perspective which immensely helps them as they are trying to form lines in a three-space figure. Also some games called symbolic or so-called four-dimensional games are presently being marketed. These games do not however depend upon a four-space spatial configuration for their basis and are merely a series of four aligned vertical panels each having the regular playing positions with extra playing positions added to symbolically add another dimension to the game. Most of the previous games are games of skill, games of chance or a combination of both.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a game of skill based upon the competitive challenge of drawing or forming planes through given points on different four-space spatial configurations. The skills of the individual protagonists are matched against each other in analyzing the proper offensive moves to form planes and thereby score points and the best defensive moves to prevent ones opponent from forming planes. The game has been so formulated that the concept can be extended to fivespace, six-space, and n-space spatial configurations. The four-space game can be played on either a two or three-dimensional game board and these game boards are the basic units for forming game boards for the five space, six-space, and n-space games.

An object of the game is to provide a new game for people having a liking for mathematics, geometry, and spatial relations and one which allows them to challenge the wits and intelligence of their adversary.

Another object of the game is to provide a teaching tool for analyzing thedifferent possible planes in aspatial configuration.

A further object is to produce a game which develops a better spatial perspective for art students, architects, etc.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram of a point moved through space; FIG. 2 is a diagram of a line moved through space; FIG. 3 is a diagram of a square moved through space; FIG. 4 is adiagram of a cube moved through space; FIG. 5 illustrates a plane divided in half by a line; FIG. 6 illustrates a cube divided in half by a plane; FIG. 7 illustrates a hypercube divided in half by a cube;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective of a three-space tic-tac-toe game board;

FIG. 9 is a top view illustrating how three-space tictac-toe can be played on a flat surface game board;

FIG. 10 is a perspective of a three-dimensional game board which represents a four-space hypercube;

FIG. 11 is a top view of a two-dimensional game board which represents a four-space hypercube;

FIG. 12 is a perspective of another three-dimensional game board which represents a four-space hypercube;

FIG. 13 illustrates a hypercube moved through space; and

FIG. 14 is a top view of the game boards of FIG. 11 placed together to represent a five-space hyper hypercube.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In order to properly understand this multidimensional game and also to understand the function of the game board it is necessary to describe the fundamentals upon which the game has been developed. To do this we must start at the beginning where our basic concepts of space began.

As shown in FIG. 1, a point A when set into motion till it reaches point B defines a line segment, which if extended indefinitely would be called a line or a onespace. If this line segment AB is placed in motion as seen in FIG. 2, it forms a square ABCD, which if extended indefinitely we would call a plane or a twospace. Next FIG. 3 shows the square ABCD in motion to form a cube ABCDEFGH, which if extended indefinitely we would call a hyperplane (which means beyond a plane, just as hypercube means beyond a cube) or a three-space. Taking this a step further in FIG. 4, the cube ABCDEFGH is set in motion to form a hypercube ABCDEFGH a b c d e f g h, which if extended indefinitely would form a hyperspace (which means beyond space) or a four-space. The same logic would apply with respect to producing five-space and n-space configurations, thus a hypercube moved along a line produces a hyper-hypercube (i.e. the five-space analog of the cube).

In applying the aforementioned concepts to the development of the present invention we look to the old childrens game of tic-tac-toe. Tic-tac-toe in its original form was a two-space game. First, examining it as a two-space game, we find that it is basically formed by dividing a plane in half with a line down the middle as seen in FIG. 5. This gives us 8 points on the bounding edges and one point in the center. Next in looking at a three space tic-tac-toe as shown in FIG. 6 we see that a cube is divided in half by a plane: passing downwardly through its center. With nine points on each of these three planes the cube is thus described by 27 points, 26 points on the bounding faces and one point in the center. The four-space game is arrived at in a similar way, by dividing a hypercube in half with a cube through the middle. Referring back to FIG. 4 we move the cube as given, but this time only halfway. At this point we have a cube which divides the hypercube in half. This cube contains the center of the hypercube. We then move the cube on until it. reaches the opposite side. We now have three cubes which define a hypercube as is seen in FIG. 7.

When three-space tic-tac-toe is played there is the option of using a three-dimensional game board such as seen in FIG. 8 or of using a two-dimensional game board where each plane is represented by a square with dots describing the positions to be marked for scoring as seen in FIG. 9. A careful analysis of FIGS. 8 and 9 shows that each line scored in the three-dimensional game board of FIG. 8 can likewise be played and illustrated on a two-dimensional board like that in FIG. 9. Just as 3 space tic-tac-toe may be played on a threedimensional game board or a two-dimensional representative game board, the present game which is based upon a hypercube such as seen in FIG. 7 may be played on a three-dimensional game board through the use of recesses used to represent three cubes arranged in a line as seen in FIG. 10 or on the two-dimensional game board 20 as seen in FIG. 11. Since a cube may be two-dimensionally illustrated by three squares, the hypercube being described by three cubes may in turn be described by nine squares. The markers 21 shown in the recesses 22 on FIG. 11 represent typical rows of three each as for example: l a1, b2, 03; (2) a1, d4, b7; (3) a1, a2, a3; (4) a1, a4, a7; (5) a1, a5, 09; etc.

The traditional tic-tac-toe game is played by using marks such as xs and s or black and white markers which are played alternately until one player wins by forming a row of three of his markers. In the threespace games a win can always be forced by the first player if the game board is designed with rows of three. Therefore the common practice in the three-space game has been to play with four planes of four rows each. A traditional modification of the three-space game that circumvents this obvious limitation is that of playing the game out and not giving the win to the first row obtained, but to the player who makes the greatest number of rows.

The four-space hypercube game can be played on either the three-dimensional game board as illustrated in FIG. 10 or on the two-dimensional game board 20 shown in FIG. 11. It is of course much easier to picture the different planes when using the three-dimensional game board and it is expected that this would be the more popular version of the game. The immediate object of the game is to be the first to form a plane consisting of nine markers all of which lie in the same plane. Referring again to FIG. 11 examples of a couple of planes which could be formed are as follows: (a1, bl, cl; d1, e,fl; hl, il,jl) and (a1, bl, cl; a2, b2, c2; a3, b3, ('3). As an alternative, the winner could be the player who forms the most planes with a special point premium for a player whose numerous planes also form a cube or a hyperplane. In the hypercube there are eight bounding cubes, an additional four inner cubes, and 12 diagonal hyperplanes which could be formed for these special premium points. Referring once more to FIG. 11 an example of one of each of bounding cube (a1, b1, c1; a2, b2, 02; a3, b3, 03; d1, e1,f1; d2, e2,j2; d3, e3,j3;h1, il,jl; h2,i2,j2;h3, i3,j3),

and a diagonal hyperplane (a1, bl, 01; a2, b2, 02; a3, b3, 03; d2, e2,j2; d3, e3,f3; d4, e4,f4; h3, i3, h4,j4; 115, 1'5, j). The mechanics of two as blocking moves only, 3) Markers may be placed three at a time anywhere on the board.

The four-space hypercube game board as illustrated in FIG. is made up of a rectangular base 30 having recesses 31 in its top surface. The recesses are located in a thrice reoccurring square pattern of nine with the distance between each squares adjacent rows of three each being substantially the same. Above and parallel to the base are a pair of platforms 32 and 33 made of a transparent or translucent material and having recesses that are perpendicularly aligned with the recesses of the base. Support members interconnect the base 30 to first platform 32 and platform 32 to second platform 33. The support members may be tubes or rods made of plastic, metal, or wood. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the support members are made of plastic rods 34 which pass through holes in the platforms and have spacers 35 to keep the platforms spaced apart. The recesses in the platforms could be holes drilled or stamped into them. As an alternative marks could be stamped or marked where the recesses are shown. The markers 25 to be used could be almost any type of indicator made from wood, metal, or plastic with a few examples being discs, balls, or pegs which would be of two different colors.

The four-space hypercube game board as illustrated in FIG. 11 is made up of a wooden, plastic, or metal board 20 with 81 recesses drilled or molded in its top surface. The holes are arranged in nine rows of nine each and the rows are substantially the same distance from each other. As an alternative marks could be printed on the top of the base in place of the holes. The 81 markers would be discs of plastic, wood, glass or metal of two different colors.

FIG. 12 also illustrates a game board for the fourspace hypercube. It comprises a rectangular base 40 having posts 41 extending upwardly therefrom. There would be 27 posts with the posts being placed in groups of nine. The perimeters of each group would form a cube and the three cubes would be formed in a line. Beads 62 that slip over the rods could be made of wood, plastic, or metal and frictionally engage the rods at marked positions on the rods or the posts may be formed with either a tongue or groove which mates with a slot in the bead and with the posts having annular notches at predetermined heights where the beads may be rotated slightly to remain positioned at that height.

Just as the cube moved along a line produces a hypercube, the hypercube moved along a line produces the hyper-hypercube (i.e. the five-space analog of the cube as is seen in FIG. 13). Thus a hyper-hypercube may be represented by nine cubes, which may be represented by 27 squares or 243 points as seen In FIG. 14. Extending the logic further, the five-space figure may be moved along a line to form the six-space figure which may be represented by 81 squares or 729 points. The game could thus be extended infinitely to a nspace. As for example, anyone with a computer could play a space game based upon the preceding principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus for playing a 4-space game with markers comprising a base having 27 recesses in its top surface for receivably holding the game markers in place when played,

said recesses being arranged such that there are nine lines of three each with the lines positioned laterally with respect to each other and such that the recesses form three lines of nine recesses each in the lateral direction,

at least four posts mounted vertically on the base and supporting two parallel and vertically spaced platforms, the posts passing through vertically aligned holes in the respective platforms,

6 tubular spacers attached to said posts by sliding them bottom surface of the second platform,

over said posts thus preventing the platforms from the platforms each having twenty-seven recesses Sl ding a l the Way down the posts, said spacers formed in their top surfaces which are vertically respectively extending from the top surface of the align Wlth the 27 recesses on the p Surface of base to the bottom surface of the first platform and 5 the basefrom the top surface of the first platform to the 

1. A game apparatus for playing a 4-space game with markers comprising a base having 27 recesses in its top surface for receivably holding the game markers in place when played, said recesses being arranged such that there are nine lines of three each with the lines positioned laterally with respect to each other and such that the recesses form three lines of nine recesses each in the lateral direction, at least four posts mounted vertically on the base and supporting two parallel and vertically spaced platforms, the posts passing through vertically aligned holes in the respective platforms, tubular spacers attached to said posts by sliding them over said posts thus preventing the platforms from sliding all the way down the posts, said spacers respectively extending from the top surface of the base to the bottom surface of the first platform and from the top surface of the first platform to the bottom surface of the second platform, the platforms each having twenty-seven recesses formed in their top surfaces which are vertically aligned with the 27 recesses on the top surface of the base. 